Lieberman : " If Israelis Are Forced Into Bomb Shelters, All of Beirut Will Be Too "
Israeli defense minister says escalated tensions along the northern border could lead to a conflict, in which Israel would consider deploying boots on the ground
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday commented on the possibility of conflict with Lebanon breaking out, saying that Israeli soldiers may have to operate deep in Lebanese territory and maneuver on the ground on the battlefield if war breaks out.
Lieberman’s comments are the latest in a series of warnings from senior Israeli officials warning about Hezbollah’s attempts to arm itself with precision missiles produced in Lebanon.
“Maneuvering is not a goal in itself. The goal is to end the war,” Lieberman said at a conference of the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University.
“No one is looking for adventures, but if we have no choice the goal is to end [the fighting] as quickly and as unequivocally as possible,” he added. “Regrettably, what we have in all the conflicts in the Middle East is that without soldiers on the ground it does not come to an end.”
“Such operations demand great effort and unfortunately casualties too. All options are open and I and not enslaved to any viewpoint,” he added. “We must prepare for maneuvering on the ground too, even if we do not use it.”
Haaretz